Dianthus plant named ‘Shishika-02’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘Shishika-02’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; short internodes and freely branching habit; light purple to light violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus speciosus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SHISHIKA-02’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant, botanically known as Dianthus speciosus, grown as a garden plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Shishika-02’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Chiba, Japan. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and freely flowering Dianthus plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Dianthus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Dianthus speciosus ‘Kahori’, not patented. The new Dianthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Kahori’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Chiba, Japan in November, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Chiba, Japan since December, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Shishika-02’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Shishika-02’ as a new and distinct Dianthus plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Short internodes and freely branching habit.     -   4. Light purple to light violet-colored flowers with         white-colored centers that are positioned above and beyond the         foliar plane.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the branch mutation parent, ‘Kahori’, in flower color as plants ‘Kahori’ have red purple-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Kahori’ differ in flower shape.

Plants of the new Dianthus can be compared to plants of the Dianthus speciosus ‘Shishi-01’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/069,042 (now abandoned). In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chiba, Japan, plants of the new Dianthus differed from plants of ‘Shishi-01’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus were larger than and not as         compact as plants of ‘Shishi-01’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Shishi-01’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Shishi-01’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Shishi-01’ had red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dianthus plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Shishika-02’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Shishika-02’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the early spring in one-gallon containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. under cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Dianthus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 10° C. and light levels ranged from 4,200 to 5,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time at planting. Plants were three months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus speciosus ‘Shishika-02’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Dianthus speciosus     ‘Kahori’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two to three weeks at             22° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three to four weeks at             18° C. to 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at 22° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at 18° C. to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant             habit; freely clumping; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit:             Freely-branching growth habit with about 85 primary lateral             branches each with about three to four secondary lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; dense and bushy growth habit. Length:             About 16 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About             2.6 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 5.8 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate, clasping. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; tough.             Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing leaves, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to N137C; venation, close to N137C.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137D;             venation, close to N137D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single star-shaped terminal             and axillary flowers with fringed margins; freely flowering             with typically seven to eight flowers developing per lateral             shoot; flowers positioned above and beyond the foliar plane;             flowers face upright.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous from             spring to fall in Southern California.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Oblong, slender. Color: Close to 76B to 76C.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: At the apex,             about 1.2 cm; at the base, about 1.5 mm. Shape: Roughly             obdeltoid. Apex: Rounded; praemorse. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 76C; at the margins, close to 75C. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 76C to 76D. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 84B to 84C; towards the base, close to 155A; color             becoming closer to 76C with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 75C to 75D; towards the base, close to             155D; color becoming closer to 76D with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five fused at the base and             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.2 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 147B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Orientation: Upright to about 15° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About ten per             flower. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155B. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount: None             observed. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to             76A to 76B. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style color: Close             to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to 145B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Dianthus. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dianthus     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 6. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘Shishika-02’ as illustrated and described. 